FITUR, the great tourism fair awaits you in Madrid
With the Polvorón still in the esophagus, he gets out FITUR , the great event of the sector in our country (and throughout Ibero-America, as they like to boast) . But, above canaperos, raffles with thorns and traditional dances, this tourism fair that brings us all together at ** IFEMA **, manages to make _ trending topic _ to some trends, destinations and markets.
THE DOMESTICATION OF THE FESTIVALERO
Do you remember when, years ago, go to a festival Was it something residual and not very relevant in the vacation calendar? This remote past illustrates a reality: this hodgepodge of concerts, posturing and parties this changing the way of traveling.
The data is there: according to the ** Live Music Yearbook 2016 **, the ten most important festivals added 1.6 million attendees and the economic impact of the Top 10 was over €400 million.
Some very respectable figures that have prompted this event to organize the first edition of FITUR Festivals , a meeting in which destinations, promoters, record companies and ticketing companies share experiences, data and strategies.
The atmosphere of a festival is unrepeatable and inimitable
For the general public (with ** admission on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 ** ), this event is nothing more than a social presentation of many festivals that, for now, are unknown and that can become the axis of a vacation. or in the perfect aftersun accessory.
The most outstanding bets? Those of the Valencian Community with MUSIX , ** Canary Islands or Adra (Almería) **, three 'umbrella' places in which music is beginning to play a fundamental role in attracting new tourists and for the famous deseasonalization.
In addition to acting as a showcase, the fact of highlighting its importance also has a silent task that is beginning to be a relevant issue for the future: raising awareness about the sustainability of these major events and the coexistence between the hubbub of the public and the sleep and healthiness of the neighbor.
Parallel to this new theme, ** FITUR ** will continue to be the best forum to talk about LGBTIQ tourism, shopping and health tourism, the subjects that, in the last five years, have entered the fair with force.
THE JOURNEY BEFORE THE JOURNEY
The presentation of the most immediate future is the great objective of the main exhibitors. The new dynamizations of the destinations, theme years, brand new air routes or innovative hotel services they usually star in the photons of the stands and activities to attract future travelers.
And, although in this field, the range is very wide, there is a trend that sets the agenda for many of them: **virtual reality**. But not as something futuristic or intangible, but as a encouragement before preparing for the holidays.
For this reason, the uncomfortable glasses (when will a device that is not embarrassing to wear?) are going to monopolize many retinas and smartphones with one objective: see how the streets are that you are going to walk, the hammock in which you are going to swell with sparkling either the bed in which you are going to laze in the next vacation in 360º.
Its effectiveness is still in question because the sexy thing about the foreign is its ability to surprise the senses , but in this world where everything is measured there are many tourists more prone to doubt than to adventure. Be that as it may, be prepared to watch videos while spinning or to decide your adventures while a virtual world -and perfect- pulsates on the other side of the screen.
The objective: surprise the senses
Finally, the friendly robots will step on the crowded carpet with one goal: to evangelize about their importance in the sector. And it is that in a not too distant future we will see android receptionists as in the Yotel hotels from New York or Henn-na from Nagasaki they will take care of everything.
Although their physical presence is the most photogenic, the relevance of robots is going to be, at FITUR, more 'unreal' than ever. Various hotel and air transport companies will bet on showing their virtual concierges who will be on the other side of their company accounts Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger or your own Apps solving doubts, making arrangements or serving customers. A practical consequence of all this boom is that, this year, there are 16% more technology companies that will show their services at the IFEMA stands and at the Fitur Tech presentations.
A landing simulation at FITUR 2017
'INCREASED' DESTINATIONS
Although FITUR continues to bet on the proliferation of Apps with its event 'The App Tourism Awards 2018 ', this year the most distant future will be dominated by the 5G. Without going any further, this technology will have its own space called IFEMA LAB 5G booth in which, taking advantage of the theme of the fair, the different doors opened by the irruption of this new generation will be exhibited.
In general, the increase in data speed will translate into the use of augmented reality. In other words, the smartphone is going to be the screen that turns the reality on the other side of the camera into an interactive infographic full of data, videos, curiosities and renders.
AND SUDDENLY... INDIA
Year after year it was rumored that India was going to bet heavily on tourism. And in terms of saraos, this órdago translates into sponsoring everything that can be sponsored, in this case, to be the prominent partner of FITUR . For practical purposes, in addition to the usual photos, it means a greater role for both the destination and its companies, reaching to fifth place in the ranking of presence by country.
Your 'home' will be the most prominent stand in Hall 6 , where they will take the opportunity to show the reasons why in just 2 years it has gone from position 65 to 40 in the competitive index of Travel and Tourism of the World Economic Forum or your growth in the number of foreign visitors is 15% per year.
Total, 33 co-exhibitors between companies and local governments that intend to demonstrate that there is much more India far from the Taj Mahal, with a special relevance of regions such as Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh.
THE BAROMETER OF STANDS
The fun fight to be 'Miss Stand' 2018 is 'on fire' . It is not an official award (as is the award for the best stand that the fair itself distributes), but the recognition of the public and professionals to the destination that has set up a more attractive and lively structure.
The bets, on the plane, make Mexico, Portugal, Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha or Iberia are the most spectacular and striking due to their large size and the precedents.
However, one must not lose sight of The Rioja , the only space that schedules events, conferences, free tastings, etc. every half hour, to Japan , one of the most excited destinations with the Spanish public of the fair to whom it will 'give away' calligraphy exhibitions, sake seminars or ninja shows or the irruption of exotic European destinations such as Bulgaria or Sarajevo.
The one that is always a safe bet is the Stand of Condé Nast Traveler in Hall 3, where the best atmosphere is mixed with more inspiration: that of the reports and photos published in the latest issues of the magazine.
Do not miss your visit to our stand 3E20 in the America Pavilion
TICKETS FOR FITUR 2018
Day pass for general public: €9 (through the IFEMA website)
Daily pass for professionals: €20
Permanent pass for professionals: €30
**Pass for professionals with prior registration: 10 euros (daily pass), 18 euros (permanent pass) **.
FITUR 2018 SCHEDULES
Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Friday 19 January : access only for professionals with hours from 10.00 h. at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 20 : general public access (and professionals) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 21 : general public access (and professionals) from 10:00 a.m. at 6:00 p.m.